Ear warming article including electronic device and easily interchangeable advertising areas

ABSTRACT

An ear warming article that can be comprised of a C-shaped resilient band, an outer sleeve and a speaker or other electronic device is described. The outer sleeve is dimensioned to contain the resilient band, and includes two insulating, ear-receiving portions as well as a first opening through which the resilient band can be inserted or removed to yield an assembled or disassembled article, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the article includes an electronic device having one or more speakers located at the ends of the resilient band; additional openings in the outer sleeve may exist for any control functionality associated with the electronic device(s). The outer sleeve can be comprised of a washable fabric material, particularly suitable as a means for interchangeable advertising (team logo, branding, etc.). In other embodiments, the ear warming article includes additional advertising and/or securing features.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/188,572filed Jul. 2, 2002 entitled “Ear warming article including electronicdevice and easily interchangeable advertising areas” by David R. Siskinand Joel A. Schechter, the entire contents of which is herebyincorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a warming article for awearer's head that can include electronic equipment (e.g., earphones,headset, audio- or other data-receiving equipment, etc.), and morespecifically to an ear warming article including an audio device thathas a novel two-piece construction including easily interchangeableadvertising means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many prior articles designed to cover portions of anindividual's head for warmth and/or protection from the elements, suchas hats, headbands, and articles that cover primarily the ears alone. Amost common variety of this last type of ear wanning, frequentlyreferred to as an “earmuff,” is comprised of a resilient, C-shaped bandthat is worn around the top of an individuial's head and ear-receivingportions or pockets located at the ends of the C-shaped band. Thisarrangement is particularly useful in situations where an individualdoes not wish to constrain their hair as well as in other situationswhere additional material might be too bulky or interfere with the user.Furthermore, in many situations where an individual would desire to wearsuch ear protection and display additional insignia/advertising, avariety of additional functionality can be particularly advantageous.

First, it may be desired to design the earmuff so that it may bepositioned or worn around the back of an individual's head. Aneck-engaging variety of this design can possess the additionaladvantage of providing protection and added warmth to a wearer's neck aswell. In any arrangement where the C-shaped band traverses the backsideof the wearer's head, however, the features and functionality of theremainder of the ear warming article need to accommodate thisunconventional positioning. For example, the shape of the ear-engagingportions need to take into account the way the ear warming article isworn.

Second, present ear warming articles do not allow the wearer to listento music or other audio input by means of an integrated electronicdevice. At football games and other outdoor events, it is oftendesirable to have warm ears and listen to the radio or music at the sametime. It is a significant drawback of current ear warming articles thatthey posses little or no ability to work with audio-related devices suchas earphones, stereo/radio headphones, receivers (radio, XFM, etc.),audio output devices (CD players, MP3 players, etc.), and other audio oraudiovisual electronic devices. Consumers are generally forced to pickbetween wearing either an ear warming article or radio headphones, or toswitch between the two as needed, which is particularly undesirable inpoor weather. At best, some products offer earphones as an add-on oraccessory to a conventional ear-muff. For individuals who desire toreceive the benefit of both ear warming articles and audio-relateddevices in an integrated device, there is a lack of acceptable articlesthat satisfy both functions at the same time.

Further, many current ear warming articles are unsatisfactory due to anumber of shortcomings related to either their appearance or theircapabilities. For example, it is often desirable for such headgear toprovide advertising or branding opportunities that are attractive to thewearer and are also economical to produce. Articles of this type arefrequently purchased based upon the article's possession of a logo orother insignia that indicates association with an interest (favoritesporting team, company, etc.) of the wearer. The specific detail (size,shape, functionality, attractiveness, etc.) of this insignia can be ofutmost importance and can easily form the basis for purchase of thearticle, particularly when a premium article is desired. Currentarticles sometimes attempt to provide insignia, however such insignia isfrequently unacceptable to the wearer because of the logo's size orlocation, or even because the logo itself cannot be removed, changed orwashed.

Another drawback is that current ear warming articles are typically havea complicated, many-piece construction, frequently making the articledifficult to manufacture. Such an approach also often leads to anunwanted appearance and can miss a main objective, such as making areasonably-priced article that is both comfortable and good-lookingwhile providing protection from inclement weather conditions.

Therefore, current ear-warming articles are generally unable to offerthe construction, usefulness, appearance and flexibility required toadequately and cost-effectively provide the functionality desired bytoday's sophisticated, demanding customers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An ear warming article comprising a C-shaped resilient band, an outersleeve and (in some embodiments) a speaker or other electronic device isdescribed. The outer sleeve is dimensioned to contain the resilientband, and includes two insulating, ear-receiving portions as well as afirst opening through which the resilient band can be inserted andremoved to yield an assembled or disassembled article, respectively. Ina preferred embodiment, the article includes an electronic device havingone or more speakers located at the ends of the resilient band;additional openings in the outer sleeve may exist for any controlfunctionality associated with the electronic device(s). The outer sleevecan be comprised of a washable fabric material, particularly suitable asa means for interchangeable advertising (team logo, branding, etc.). Insome embodiments, the ear warming article provides coverage and warmingbenefit to the wearer's neck as well. In additional embodiments, the earwarming article includes additional advertising and/or securingfeatures.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description thatfollows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an overall three-dimensional perspective side view ofan ear warming article, according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a planform view of the outside surface of an earwarming article, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a planform view of the inside surface of an earwarming article, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom plan view of an ear warming article,according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an ear warmingarticle, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 6 illustrates an enlarged right side view of a portion of an earwarming article, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A warming article for a wearer's head comprising a C-shaped resilientband, an outer sleeve and (in some embodiments) a speaker or otherelectronic device is disclosed. Although generally referred to as an earwarming article throughout the specification, it should be understoodthat the article can also, in some embodiments, provide protection andwarmth to the wearer's neck as well. In the following description, forpurposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth inorder to provide an understanding of the present invention. It will beevident, however, to those of ordinary skill in the art that the presentinvention may be practiced without the specific details. In otherinstances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagramform to facilitate explanation. The description of the preferredembodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims appendedhereto.

An overall three-dimensional side view of an ear warming article,according to one embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated inFIG. 1. As shown in this embodiment, the visible portions of anassembled ear warming article 100 include a soft outer earmuff or “outersleeve” 101 (made up of a soft outer portion 102, edge material 104forming a border around the soft outer portion 102, and inner liningmaterial 106 on surfaces that contact the wearer), at least one opening110, and at least one control portion 108 that protrudes/extends fromthe soft outer portion 102 through the opening 110 (such as the circulargrommet hole depicted in FIG. 1). As shown in the figure, a portion ofan inner, resilient band 112 is seen visible through a viewing window114, exposed only for the sake of illustration, that is located in thesoft outer portion 102. The resilient band 112 is a generally C-shapedresilient member that takes the form of a band in this embodiment,although it can assume any shape (e.g., cross-section) that achieves thedesired effect of partially encircling the wearer's head.

As will be described in greater detail below in connection with FIG. 6,the control portion 108 of the ear warming article can include displayand functional features of electronic components contained within theear warming article 100. The embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrates severalcontrol mechanisms 116 as well as an exemplary display 118 (such as aLCD read-out, or other known screen). The aspects, features andfunctionality accomplished by these control mechanisms 116 and thisdisplay 118 can vary for a variety of desired articles, and thus arereferred to here in only a broader sense. Also, it is noted here thatthe one or more control portions 108, with which these elements (controlmechanisms 116 and display 118) are associated, are attached to theresilient band 112, and together the resilient band and the at least onecontrol portion 108 are sometimes referred to as the band/electronicdevice. That these two elements are sometimes referred to as beinggrouped together is done for convenience sake only, as the non-sleevecomponents of the invention can either include or not include anelectronic device; indeed, certain embodiments further allow forinterchangeable and/or removable electronic devices. In this regard, thefact that some embodiments of the present invention allow for suchinterchangeability/removability represents another significant featureof those embodiments of the present invention.

With respect to the materials that comprise the ear warming article, thecomposition of the outer sleeve 101 structure of the presently preferredembodiment is first described. As stated above, the outer sleeve 101 iscomprised of a soft outer portion 102, edge material 104 and innerlining material 106, according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.The soft outer portion 102 can consist of a weather resistant,waterproof and/or breathable material such as, for example, a fabriclike nylon or a breathable synthetic fabric like Goretex.RTM. (atrademark of W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.). The edge material 104 canconsist of a soft, stretchable material such as Lycra.RTM. or aLycra.RTM. blend (trademark of E.I. du Pont and Co.). Internal padding(not shown) that better prevents rubbing or chafing between resilientband and the wearer and that provides a more comfortable article canalso be included in the design; such padding can be comprised of any ofthe various, known open cell foam materials. Finally, the inner liningmaterial 106 can consist of any number of suitable soft,flesh-accommodating fabric material, such as Polarfleece.RTM. (atrademark of ADS Corporation) or other soft micro-fleece material.

The composition of the inner components (the resilient band andelectronic device), according to one or more embodiments of the presentinvention, are now generally described. According to one preferredembodiment, the resilient band 112 itself is comprised of a band ofresilient, lightweight metal, with the band possessing a spring biasthat urges the ear-contacting portions to a position that is slightlynarrower than the size of the relevant head; in other words, differentsized ear warming articles (such as small, medium and large) would havedifferent neutral positions (the positions at which the spring forcesattempt to bias the resilent bands), as well as different curvatures ofthe bands themselves. In the most preferred embodiment, the resilientmetal material is comprised of lightweight spring steel.

In an alternate embodiment, the ear warming article can includedifferent-size inserts and/or inflatable portions that can beinterchanged or inflated/deflated, respectively, to change the fit ofthe ear warming article in order to accommodate the specific size andshape of the wearer's head. These inserts/inflatable portions can belocated or associated with either the outer sleeve materials or theresilient band, or they can be entirely independent.

Next, the preferred embodiment comprising an internal AM/FM radio devicewith embedded AM antenna is described, although the other variousembodiments of electronic devices are set forth in more detail after thediscussion of radio controls associated with FIG. 6 below. In thispreferred embodiment, the internal AM/PM radio device can be located onone or both of the control portions 108 attached to the resilient band112. As described in more detail in connection with FIG. 6, the controls116 for the radio device can include volume, analog or digital tuning,user presets (such as input/output or radio station presets), and anOFF/AM/FM three-position switch. Additionally, the display 118 could bea digital station readout, and the power can be supplied by a battery(such as type AAA or AAAA) located in either or both control portions.An auxiliary input jack (for use with an MP3 player, CD player, etc.)can also be located on the ear warming article. Finally, the electronicdevice of such receiver- or radio-including embodiments can include anembedded antenna that is streamlined within the ear warming article insuch a way as to not interfere with the functional and branding featuresof the inventive article. In the preferred embodiment, the embeddedantenna is an AM and/or FM antenna that does not extend beyond the earwarming article.

A planform view of the outside surface of an ear warming article,according to one embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated inFIG. 2. The ear warming article of FIG. 2 is shown laid (or flattened)out, such that it discloses the ear warming article's appearance as ifit were not in its customary arcuate or “C” shape. According to theembodiment of FIG. 2, a laid out, outside view 200 of an ear warmingarticle is shown. The laid out, outside view 200 is comprised of thesoft outer portion 102 containing a main branding zone 206, the bead ofedge material 104 surrounding the soft outer portion 102, and the atleast one opening 110 that allows for the protrusion of either abranding portion 202 or a control portion 108 therethrough. The brandingportion 202 further includes a branding location 204 that can take theform of a cap or piece of material, preferably hard plastic, that isinterchangeably mounted onto or into the branding portion 202. Forexample, the branding location 204 might constitute a plastic cap havingsmall extension tabs that extend and snap into the branding portion 202to secure a branding or advertising piece onto the ear warming article.Similarly, the control portion 108 can include an advertising patch 208in addition to the various controls 116 and/or displays 118 that arelocated thereon. This advertising patch 208 can be secured orconnectable to the control portion 108 by any of the means that thebranding location 204 is connected to the branding portion 202, such asVelcro.RTM. (a trademark of Velcro Industries B.V.) adhesive, otherknown physical securement mechanisms (the above-mentioned tabs, etc.),or it may be permanently attached.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the main branding zone 206 is located onthe outer surface of the soft outer portion 102. This main branding zone206 can be permanently attached thereto, such that the branding may bechanged by using different outer sleeves 101 fitted over the internalresilient band/electronic device structure, or the main branding zone206 can be removably attached to the soft outer portion 102. In thelatter case, the main branding zone 206 can then be removed for suchpurposes as washing the outer sleeve or when no branding is wanted, andit can then also be easily interchanged when different branding isdesired, e.g. replacing a favorite football team logo with a favoriteice hockey team logo.

A planforn view of the inside surface of an ear warming article,according to one embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated inFIG. 3. The ear warming article of FIG. 3 is shown laid (or flattened)out, such that it discloses the ear warming article's appearance as ifit were not in its customary arcuate or “C” shape. According to theembodiment of FIG. 3, a laid out, inside view 300 of an ear warmingarticle is shown. The laid out, inside view 300 is comprised of the beadof edge material 104, an inside surface 302, and two patches of theinner lining material 106. Stitching 304 is also shown in this figure toillustrate how the some of the exterior pieces of the ear warmingarticle are attached together according to this embodiment. As seen inthe embodiment of FIG. 3, the inner lining material 106 (preferablysynthetic fleece or micro-fleece) is present in a shape that correspondsto the shape of the wearer's ears.

A bottom plan view of an ear warming article, according to oneembodiment of the present invention, is illustrated in FIG. 4. Thebottom view 400 of an exemplary ear warming device is shown,illustrating an embodiment wherein a zippable closure 402, which is usedfor inserting and removing the resilient band and/or electronic devices,is discretely located on a bottom side of the outer sleeve 101. Itshould be noted that the novelty of the disclosed embodiments of the earwarming article is not necessarily circumscribed by the precise type ofclosure set forth herein (indeed, some embodiments of the invention,such as those having a permanent outer sleeve, would require noclosure), although the novelty of some embodiments can be. Alsoillustrated in association with the outer sleeve 101 of FIG. 4, areprotruding portions 408 (such as control portions 108 or brandingportions 202, as seen in FIG. 2), a zipping closure element 404, and afabric flap 406. In the presently preferred embodiment, the zipper(consisting of the zippable closure 402 and the zipping closure element404) is located in a slightly recessed fashion within the outer sleeve101, and the fabric flap 406 is of complementary size so to fit over andhide the zipper. Furthermore, the fabric flap 406 is constructed of thesame material as the fabric sleeve and is biased to remain over thezipper (although it can be pushed aside when the user wishes to accessthe zipper), providing for hidden closure structure that does not affectthe appearance of the ear warming article while it is worn.

Additional portions of the ear warming article are indicated in theembodiment of FIG. 4 to assist full comprehension and description of theinvention. First, end portions 410 are indicated to point out tworegions of the outer sleeve 101 that contact the cars of the wearer,receive the electronics located at the ends of the resilient band, andhave other importance. Similarly, the two end portions 410 are connectedby means of the connecting portion 412. Finally, two alternate locationsfor the auxiliary input jack 409 are illustrated in the embodiment ofFIG. 4.

An exploded, perspective view of a particular construction of an earwarming article, according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, is illustrated in FIG. 5. The exploded view 500 illustratedin the embodiment of FIG. 5 consists of a band/electronics portion 502sandwiched between an exterior foam/fabric portion 504 and an interiorfoam/fabric portion 506 that together comprise an outer sleeve-likestructure 102 that encompasses the band/electronics portion 502. In apreferred embodiment, the exterior foam/fabric portion 504 and theinterior foam/fabric portion 506 are of unitary construction (where theband/electronics portion 502 is inserted through the zippable closure402 as shown in connection with FIG. 4), although the outer sleeve canof course take the form of any multi-part/disassembleable construction.Next, we turn to the novel construction of both this band/electronicsportion 502 as well as the outer sleeve-like structure.

The band/electronics portion 502 forms a center, removable portion ofthis assembly, according to the illustrated embodiment. The preferredelectronic devices 503 (e.g., radio, speaker, etc.) incorporated intothe ear warming article are generally connected to the distal portions505 of the central curved portion 507 of the resilient band 112. Whilethese preferred devices have been set forth in more detail below, it isfurther noted here that all known, portable electronic devices can beincorporated into the ear warming article, provided as add-on orsupplemental structure, or both. Similarly, the preferred composition ofthe resilient band 112 has been detailed above, although certainadditional features of it's curvature and resiliency are set forthbelow.

With respect to the exterior foam/fabric portion 504 of the preferredembodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, it is comprised of an outer nylonlayer 508, an open cell foam layer 510, and two 2-part snap grommets 512(although only one grommet set is illustrated). As mentioned above, thisexterior foam/fabric portion 504 can be integral with the interiorfoam/fabric portion 506 so as to form a unitary piece, or it may fitinto (or otherwise snap or be removably secured to) the interiorfoam/fabric portion 506. The grommet structure defines the opening 110,as discussed in association with FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, through which eitherthe control portion or the branding portions can protrude.

With respect to the interior foam/fabric portion 506 of the preferredembodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, it is comprised of a foam base 512covered in stretch fabric, an elastic headphone harness 514 (ifnecessary), and ear-engaging fabric 106 such as soft sythetic fleece ormicro-fleece. The foam base 512 has a curved shape that matches andconforms to the head of the wearer, and is characterized by an outerfoam skeleton and optionally foam ribs to provide the basic shape, whilepossessing various channels and cavities to accept the resilient band112 and any electronic device(s) that are included. Attached betweenopposed foam ribs are a pair of elastic headphone harnesses 514 tosecure any associated headphone, earphone, wires or other, similarsupplemental electronic device or its component. Finally, theear-engaging fabric 106 may be any of the varieties of soft fabricaddressed above in connection with FIG. 2.

In a preferred embodiment, the ear warming article can include any typeof receiver, such as AM, FM, AM/FM, XM, or a receiver associated withany sort of wire-using or wireless transmitting or broadcasting device,etc. As mentioned above, it is desired to locate the radio and itscontrols in such a way as to allow straightforward control whilemaintaining an article of simple and easy construction. Suchadvantageous location of radio control features and functionality ismore fully developed in connection with FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 consists of an enlarged, right plan view of one ear coveringportion of a preferred embodiment, illustrating the control portion ofan AM/FM radio receiver that extends through one opening 110 of at leastone end of the soft outer portion 102. As shown in the embodiment ofFIG. 6, the control portion 108 of the receiver extends through anopening 110, which is differentiated from the soft outer portion 102 bymeans of the grommet 512 or other border material. The control portion108, then, includes a digital read-out 622 (i.e., the display 118), anOFF/AM/FM switch 624, a channel/station UP button 626, a channel/stationDOWN button 628, a ‘presets’ button 630, a volume control 632, and aadvertising patch 208.

As evident from the embodiment of FIG. 6, the functionality of thecontrols located on the control portion 108 are straightforward,although all controls reasonably related to audio or audiovisual devicesare envisioned. In particular, these controls can be any of the controlsassociated with all known portable audio, video or audio/visual devicessuch as any of the existing Walkman.RTM. or other similar Sony.RTM.products, any of the controls used to control any other known devicespossessing such potential audio-output (e.g., TV production equipment,any recording equipment, surveillance equipment, etc.), any of thecontrols used to modify audio data such as may be found in graphicequalizer equipment (tuners, etc.), and/or other controls found onelectronic devices that can be carried on or with a wearer. For purposesof illustrating one such exemplary device, the following details of onespecific embodiment of the invention are set forth: the digital read-out622 functions to display such things as the currently selected radiostation, the particular preset, the type of broadcast (AM or FM), thevolume level and/or other relevant parameters (in another embodiment,the digital read-out 622 can be located underneath a branded lens); theOFF/AM/FM switch 624 turns the radio on, tuned to either frequencymodulated (FM) or amplitude modulated (AM) receiving mode; the channelstation UP button 626 and DOWN button 628 are used to change the radio,station and/or to effectuate related seek and scan functionality; the‘presets’ button 630 is used to toggle the receiver through a variety ofpreviously-established radio stations; and the volume control 632provides either digital or analog control of speaker volume. However, itis noted again that a variety of other electronic devices are alsocontemplated with the present invention.

In the foregoing, an ear warming article having an optional electronicdevice has been described. Although the present invention has beendescribed with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will beevident that various modifications and changes may be made to theseembodiments without departing from the broader spirit.

1. An article for the ears of an individual comprising: two speakers forproducing an audio output; and an outer sleeve including two portionsfor covering an individual's ears and a first opening for inserting thespeakers into each of the two portions; each of the two speakers beinglocated in each of the two portions of the outer sleeve.
 2. The articleof claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve further includes insulatingmaterial on the side of the outer sleeve facing the individual in thelocation of the two end portions for insulating the individual's ears.3. The article of claim 1 further including at least one advertising orlogo portion.
 4. The article of claim 1 further including a band havingtwo distal portions connected to each of the two speakers such that theband supports the article on the individual's ears and around the backof the individual's head.
 5. The article of claim 1 further including aband having two distal portions connected to each of the two speakerssuch that the band supports the article on the individual's ears andover the individual's head.
 6. The article of claim 1 further includingan electronic device; the speakers being electronically connected to thedevice.
 7. The article of claim 6 wherein the electronic device islocated inside the outer sleeve.
 8. The article of claim 6 wherein theelectronic device is located outside of the outer sleeve.
 9. The articleof claim 1 wherein the outer sleeve includes a second opening.
 10. Thearticle of claim 1 further including one or more control mechanismrelated to the audio output that is exposed through the second opening.11. The article of claim 1 where in the article is an ear warmingarticle.
 12. The article of claim 1 wherein the outer sleeve isinterchangeable.
 13. The article of claim 1 further including at leastone text portion.
 14. An article for the ears of an individualcomprising: a band having two distal portions connected together by acentral portion; at least one speaker for producing an audio output froman audio signal; the at least one speaker mounted on at least one of thedistal portions of the band; and an outer sleeve comprising two endportions for covering an individual's ears and a connecting portionbetween the two end portions; the outer sleeve including a first openingfor inserting the band and the at least one speaker into the outersleeve; the outer sleeve including insulating material at least in thelocation of the two end portions and facing the individual forinsulating the individual's ears; the band and the at least one speakerbeing located inside the outer sleeve.
 15. The article of claim 14including two speakers; each speaker being mounted on each of the twodistal portions of the band; each speaker being located in each of theend portions of the outer sleeve.
 16. The article of claim 14 whereinthe band is C-shaped and supports the device on the individual's earsand around the back of the individual's head or over the individual'shead.
 17. The article of claim 14 wherein the band is resilientpossessing a spring bias that urges the two distal portions onto theindividual's head supporting the device around the back of theindividual's head or over the individual's head.
 18. The article ofclaim 14 further including an electronic device for delivering a signalto the at least one speaker; the at least one speaker being connected tothe electronic device.
 19. The article of claim 18 wherein theelectronic device is located outside of the outer sleeve.
 20. Thearticle of claim 18, wherein the electronic device is located in theouter sleeve.
 21. The article of claim 18, wherein the electronic deviceincludes one or more control mechanisms related to the audio output; thecontrol mechanisms being accessible outside the outer sleeve.
 22. Thearticle of claim 21, wherein the outer sleeve includes a second openingto expose the one or more control mechanism.
 23. The article of claim14, wherein the outer sleeve includes a second opening.
 24. The articleof claim 23 further including one or more control mechanisms related tothe audio output that is exposed through the second opening.
 25. Thearticle of claim 14 wherein the first opening of the outer sleeve isclosable.
 26. The article of claim 14 further including logo oradvertising means located on the outer sleeve.
 27. The article of claim14 further including a logo or advertising portion on the connectingportion of the outer sleeve such that the advertisement is visible whenthe device is worn around the back of the individual's head.
 28. Thearticle of claim 26 wherein the logo or advertising means includes aninterchangeable outer sleeve.
 29. The article of claim 26 wherein thelogo or advertising means is selected from the group consisting of aVelcro portion, an adhesive portion, a branding portion, a main brandingzone, a plastic cap, a piece of material, an interchangeable outersleeve, a snap-fit portion, and a piece of hard plastic.
 30. The articleof claim 18 wherein the electronic device is selected from the groupconsisting of an AM/FM radio, an AM radio, an FM radio, a compact discplayer, a wireless device, and an MP3 player.
 31. An article for theears of an individual comprising: a band having two distal portionsconnected together by a-central portion; at least one speaker forproducing an audio output from an audio signal; the at least one speakermounted on at least one of the distal portions of the band; an outersleeve comprising two end portions for covering an individual's ears anda connecting portion between the two end portions; the outer sleeveincluding a first opening for inserting the band and the at least onespeaker into the outer sleeve; the outer sleeve including insulatingmaterial at least in the location of the two end portions and facing theindividual for insulating the individual's ears; the band and the atleast one speaker being located inside the outer sleeve, and at leastone logo or advertising portion.
 32. The article of claim 31 wherein thelogo or advertising portion is located on the connecting portion of theouter sleeve.
 33. The article of claim 31 wherein the logo oradvertising portion is located on at least one end portion of the outersleeve.
 34. The article of claim 31 including two speakers; each speakerbeing mounted on each of the two distal portions of the band; eachspeaker being located in each of the end portions of the outer sleeve.35. The article of claim 31 wherein the logo or advertising portion isselected from the group consisting of a Velcro portion, an adhesiveportion, a branding portion, a main branding zone, a plastic cap, apiece of material, an interchangeable outer sleeve, a snap-fit portion,and a piece of hard plastic.
 36. The article of claim 31 wherein theband is C-shaped and supports the device over an individual's ears andaround the back of the individual's head.
 37. The article of claim 31wherein the logo or advertising portion is located on the connectingportion of the outer sleeve such that the logo or advertising portion isvisible when the device is worn around the back of the individual'shead.
 38. The article of claim 31 wherein the band is substantiallylocated in the connecting portion of the outer sleeve and the at leastone speaker is substantially located in one of the end portions of theouter sleeve.
 39. The article of claim 31 further including one or morecontrol mechanisms related to the audio output; the control mechanismsbeing accessible outside the outer sleeve.
 40. The article of claim 39,wherein the outer sleeve includes a second opening to expose the one ormore control mechanism.